Ask
the Experts:
Bobbie Aug and Sharon Newman
Question: Fine quality 100% cotton fabric is the quilter's
palette and can represent a considerable investment in both time and money. What is the
best way to store fabrics?
The feel and fragrance of cotton fabric is part of the pleasure in sewing a quilt.
Whether the fabric is still in the bag from the shop or stored in our stashes, the first
step after sorting it by colors is to wash the fabric.
We like to wash our fabric because we prefer to remove any finishing chemicals before
handling the cloth. In addition, today's fabrics can shrink from 45" in width to
42" and sometimes even 40" during a first washing. It's best to pre-shrink the
fabric before investing hours and hours of work in a quilt. After the fabrics are washed,
we like to store them on open shelves. If the shelves are made of wood, they should be
sealed or painted before use. Our preference is to store both prints and solids together
by color. For storing lengths of more than two yards, cover empty bolts with Mylar™
and rewrap the fabric onto them.
Storing fabrics -
Fabrics should be stored away from light and moisture. They should not be kept in
cardboard boxes for long periods of time. All cardboard containers release acid gases as
the cellulose in them ages. These acid fumes deteriorate cotton fabrics. The same is true
for unpainted and unsealed wood such as that found in cedar chests.
After choosing fabrics for a project, Bobbie places them in a plastic Rubbermaid™
storage container and pulls from that container as she uses them. That way the fabrics are
all in one place and remain clean and out of sunlight. The plastic in these containers
does not give off gasses that harm textiles. The climate in Bobbie's home state of
Colorado permits this kind of airtight storage because the humidity remains around 50%
year round. She doesn't have to worry about mold or mildew. Sharon's chosen fabrics are
stored with pattern drawings and ideas in a large tote bag. These projects can be stored
away for long periods of time providing the bag is not plastic.
Sharon's mother-in-law started a postage stamp quilt for her son when he was one-year
old. The parts for that quilt were stored in a clean pillowcase that was kept in her
closet for nearly 26 years until Sharon encouraged her to complete it. She finished the
quilt and presented it to him 48 years later.
Editor's Note: (After sharing how they actually store fabric,
Sharon and Bobbie continued to list some of their humorous ideas for stashing huge
quantities of fabric.)
For those of you who have exhausted all other avenues of storage, consider these places
that we bet you never thought of! Our husbands know we have fabric in every drawer and
closet. But it's our methods of storage that have them overwhelmed. Over the years, we
have become very resourceful in discovering ways and places to warehouse our rapidly
expanding fabric collections. You see, Bobbie is a former quilt store owner and Sharon
still is. Besides our usual storage areas - the bathtub, car trunk, between the mattresses
and box springs of our beds and as pillow stuffing - we've even considered using the oven
and dishwasher! You see, since the quilting bug bit, neither of us cooks anyway. And, as
long as we're thinking along those lines, why not use the upright freezer? If you don't
cook anymore, why buy and store food there? We even tried (with some success!) the window
shades in Bobbie's kitchen. We just taped a few fat quarters to it and rolled them right
up with the shade! However, we think our best idea is to install a half-dozen or so
pulleys to the ceiling in the living room complete with hooks and ropes. Then stuff some
large heavy-duty trash bags - you know, the kind with the drawstring handles - full of
fabric and hang them from each pulley. Pull them up to the ceiling and anchor them in
place. Tie them up well so that no one is ever injured by falling bags of fabric while
having tea.
If you are expecting company and you have to clear off the bed in a guest room, try
boxing up your "Fort Knox of Fabric" and choosing one of the following methods
for temporarily housing it: 1) Rent a locker or lockers at the local airport and/or bus
terminal and store them there, or; 2) Transport them to the Post Office and mail them
third class to yourself. The Postal Service will take at least seven days to get your most
precious cargo back to you and your company should be gone before your fabric returns!
About the experts:
Both Bobbie Aug and Sharon Newman are certified quilt appraisers, teachers and
authors. Bobbie is the current chairman of the Colorado Quilt Council. Sharon owns and
operates The Quilt Shop in Lubbock, Texas. Together they have authored three books - String
Quilts with Style (AQS 1999), Vertical Quilts with Style (AQS 2000) and
Charm Quilts with Style (AQS 2000). Contact Bobbie at 1805 N. Franklin St., Colorado
Springs, CO 80907, (719)632-3767, qwltpro@clsp.uswest.net.
Contact Sharon at The Quilt Shop, 4525 50th St., Lubbock, TX 79414, (806)793-2485, vpslm@ttacs.ttuedu.
Back to Current Ask the
Experts.
|
Ask the
Experts
